newcomer said:So, they've released this new "anthology" supposedly meant for "our generation"... it's just that IMDb list of the 50 best indie films. Though, honestly, what does "indie" even mean anymore? It's such a vague term... everything feels like it's losing its meaning these days. Just one more list... Just finished number 38 on the List... I've honestly never even heard of some of the movies on this List... and honestly, I'm looking at the whole thing as one big collection rather than a ranking. It’s just so incredibly hard to pick a single "best" one, so the numbers don't really mean much to me... they're all just great in their own way. How many of these have you guys actually sat down and watched?
I've managed to get through 39 of them so far. There are still quite a few I haven't touched... mostly because they're older classics and I just can't track down a decent copy anywhere (check the post above for details)... like *A Man for All Seasons*. And then there are others that just haven't really made their way to the US market yet... things like *Whale Rider* or *The Sweet Hereafter*... so I'm still waiting...
I’ve been cursing my luck for a long time now, living in a place where you just can't get your hands on the true cinematic masterpieces of the past. When I talk to my friends out in the rest of the world—you know, people in the USA or Australia... they honestly can't believe that here in America, it's this hard to find things like:
D.W. Griffith's Intolerance; Fritz Lang's Metropolis; Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin; Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon or Seven Samurai; Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard; John Huston's The Maltese Falcon; Frank Capra's Mr. Smith goes to Washington, D.C.; or even the way they told the story in On the Waterfront...
And that's just a tiny fraction of the list of movies I'm dying to see, but I just don't have the chance. All I can really do is sit around and wait for some TV network I actually watch to finally show mercy and air one of these classics. It's not exactly making me happy...
Honestly, Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man is easily in my top 5 of all time... I mean, Lee Iacocca’s Ice Storm is probably the best drama we got in the 90s, and Dante’s Matinee is such a gem that I actually have it in my own collection at home. As for The Hudsucker Proxy, you just have to credit the Coen brothers... and then there's Ghost Dog. Also, Lone Star, The Butcher Boy, Beautiful Girls (which I've seen on local cable a few times lately), A Bronx Tale, and Ravenous... they're all just outstanding...
If you just took a quick peek around the forum, you’d see that the Easy Rider topic is already live. People have actually been going back and forth on it for quite some time now...
Joe Dante is just the man! I love his stuff because even when he's making what looks like a simple comedy, there’s always this hidden layer poking fun at small-mindedness, the whole American way of life, Hollywood... all that. I mean, thinking back to when Tom Hanks and the gang basically tore their neighborhood apart in 'The 'burbs'... man. You should go watch Looney Tunes: Back in Action, it's absolute madness. And I really loved that TV movie of his, Second Civil War, with Denis Leary.
For me, Dante's best work has to be "Matinee" from '93, featuring John Goodman. It's such an entertaining, funny take on that tense atmosphere we had in the USA during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I also used to really dig "Piranha" from back in '78. I can't imagine how that would play out today—probably wouldn't hold up well—but the memories are great.
Back in the late 80s, when VCRs and video rental stores first started popping up all over the States, it was such a massive phenomenon... Everyone was absolutely obsessed with Gremlin! For me, it felt like pure genius at the time. Fast forward about 15 years later, though... I just rewatched it, and man, I was disappointed. It felt totally overhyped, not really funny, and honestly just kind of boring. Just... weak. I'm giving it a passing grade only because of the nostalgia factor.
So, I caught it. It was like, 3 AM on a Friday night, just stumbling through channels on CBS... caught it by pure accident. I actually liked it. It’s weird, definitely interesting, and honestly? Visually stunning. It’s also pretty sick. But hey, that's my thing... I've always had a soft spot for that kind of stuff. Still, though... it’s just too bizarre, too out there for me to really recommend it to just anyone. You have to be incredibly careful when you start suggesting those kinds of art films to people. Trust me, I've been through it... people absolutely tore me apart once upon a time when I tried recommending things like Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man, that Soderbergh-esque Schizopolis, or even Gilliam's Brazil. If you're into that European art-house vibe, go for it. For everyone else? Just stay far away!
Guys, why on earth are you even comparing the book to the movie?????😕 It honestly makes zero sense... a book and a film are two completely different mediums and they just CANNOT BE COMPARED. It’s like trying to compare apples to oranges... really. You compare a book to another book, and a movie to another movie. You can't just mix them up like that. I get that someone might feel let down by an adaptation, I really do, but in my opinion, saying "THE BOOK WAS BETTER THAN THE MOVIE" is just plain foolishness.
So, I finally sat down and watched that last unviewed film from the career of the absolute legend, Stanley Kubrick. And man, it blew me away all over again. Honestly, Lolita is just such a masterpiece... kind of like everything else that comes out of his workshop. There were moments in the movie that just left me breathless... I actually found myself pausing the film just to rewind and stare at certain shots for a second longer. To me, Kubrick is hands down the greatest cinematic auteur to ever exist. So, here's to him once more. 🙏 Cheers to Stanley Kubrick.
I liked the movie. It’s not exactly a masterpiece or anything, but it was good... I walked away feeling pretty satisfied with it. Margot Robbie is definitely the biggest draw here. She isn't just incredibly sexy, she actually crushed the role too. And honestly, all those topless scenes? Just a massive bonus.
It’s honestly not weird at all when someone who isn't exactly buff shows up at the gym with plenty of extra weight to lose. The place is practically crawling with people like that. And look, even the guys who are absolutely shredded started out looking just like everyone else... they had to begin somewhere. So, seriously, don't let that get in your head at all. I can't really give you any pointers on pricing or which gym to pick since I have no idea what part of the States you're living in. Just one bit of advice—maybe hold off on starting your workout routine until the fall hits and things cool down a bit. Summer is just brutal if you're trying to get moving in a gym for the first time.
Blue Seagull Jaws😁 👍 Barracuda😢 Shark👎 The Great Blue😕 🙂 Abyss👍 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Underwater world😲 Deep Blue Sea🙂 The Old Man and the Sea Master and Warrior Pirates of the Caribbean Blue Lagoon🙂
That's really great! I’ve always had such a massive soft spot for American indie cinema... especially those gritty flicks starring Steve Buscemi. You know, stuff like Trees Lounge, Reservoir Dogs, search for One-eye Jimmy, Living in Oblivion, Things to do in Denver When You're Dead, or The real blond... there's just something about that style. So, whenever a rare little gem from that era finally makes its way over here, I make sure I don't miss it. I'll track it down no matter what... Smart, witty dialogue... those sharp little exchanges and monologues... that’s exactly what most mainstream movies are missing these days. But here? You can find it in spades. That's really why I enjoyed watching the film so much... The low-budget feel of it all... honestly, even the crappy sound and that grainy picture quality on the DVD didn't really bother me that much...
Right now, the average IMDb rating is sitting at a 4.7. I’ve gotta say, I’m feeling pretty skeptical about whether this movie is actually any good. In my experience, every single time I've seen a film with an average score under 5, it turned out to be a total dud. Maybe this one will be the exception to the rule, but I really doubt it...
I didn't get hit by that massive wave of hype surrounding this movie like everyone else did. Honestly... damn.
If I can make an analogy here, I felt the exact same way about Benigni's "Life is Beautiful." Everyone was swearing by it, crying through the whole thing, predicting every possible Oscar win, putting it on all their Top 10 lists... just absolutely obsessed. But for me? The movie was terrible. And just like you, in this case, I really wish I could have loved it. But I didn't. And honestly, I wish more movies were great than they actually are. That would be nice. But it's just not like that. My yearly average still sits at maybe 3 to 5 great films.
Pure brilliance! A total triumph of talent! The sheer talent of Sofia Coppola, Bill Murray, and Scarlett Johansson... Such a beautiful film. Honestly, I couldn't stop smiling from the moment it started until the credits rolled. I felt so good while watching it, and even better afterward. Just pure enjoyment... So, for me, it’s a perfect five out of five.
For anyone who didn't really vibe with this one, maybe go watch "Boat trip" instead. That might be more their speed...
2001: A Space Odyssey... Kubrick's masterpiece... I was just thinking about how much weight that film carries. It’s more than just sci-fi, isn't it? It's like looking into the void and having the void stare back at you. The visuals alone... they don't make them like that anymore. Everything feels so deliberate, so paced out... almost meditative if you can call it that. Some people say it's slow, but I think they miss the point. You have to let it breathe. Let those long shots sink in. It’s about the evolution of everything... humanity, technology, the stars themselves. Sometimes I wonder if we've lost that sense of scale in modern movies. Everything is so loud now... so fast... whereas Kubrick just lets the silence do the heavy lifting. Truly something else... Casablanca... directed by Michael Curtiz. Such a classic. Just thinking about it... how it captures that specific kind of wartime tension and longing. It’s one of those films that stays with you... long after the credits roll. Truly timeless. Citizen Kane... Orson Welles... man, what a masterpiece. It just hits different every time you sit down with it. There’s something about that lighting, that deep focus... it really pulls you right into the frame. I was thinking about it earlier while staring out my window here in Chicago, wondering how they even pulled off those shots back then without all the digital wizardry we have now. Just pure, raw vision... honestly, it's hard to find anything else that captures that kind of scale. Jim Jarmusch... Dead Man... man, there’s just something about that vibe. It’s like he’s painting with shadows and silence most of the time. I was thinking about it the other day, just sitting there, wondering how much of that feeling stays with you long after the credits roll. It’s heavy, but in a way that feels necessary. Almost spiritual? Maybe that's too much... but yeah. The whole thing feels so stripped back, so raw. You get lost in the rhythm of it. It reminds me a bit of watching something like *Citizen Kane*—not because they’re similar, obviously, but because of that sense of inevitable weight hanging over everything. That feeling that things are moving toward a destination you can see, but can't escape. It’s not just a movie; it’s an experience. A slow burn that actually burns. Sometimes you need films that don't rush you through the story... just let you sit in the discomfort and the beauty of it all. Truly special stuff. Dr. Strangelove... Kubrick at his absolute best. It’s just... man, that dark, biting satire hits differently every single time you watch it. The way he handles the whole nuclear tension thing... it's brilliant, really. Just pure cinematic genius... It’s a Wonderful Life... Frank Capra... man, that movie just hits different. It really does. I was sitting there thinking about how much heart goes into those old classics... you don't see that kind of sincerity much anymore. Everything feels so fast now, so loud... but this? This is just pure soul. Makes you wonder about the legacy we leave behind, you know? Just one life, but how many others it touches... it's heavy stuff. Truly. Paths of Glory... Kubrick... man, what a gut punch. I was just sitting here thinking about how some movies don't just tell a story, they actually leave a bruise on your soul... and this one? It’s pure, unadulterated heartbreak. It's about the absolute machinery of war and how the people at the top—those guys in the fancy offices far from the mud—just chew up the regular guys like we're nothing more than statistics on a spreadsheet. It makes you think about justice, or the total lack thereof... how easy it is for a system to protect itself by sacrificing its own. It's heavy stuff. Really heavy. You watch those soldiers, men who have given everything, and then you see the bureaucracy turn around and crush them just to save face... it stays with you long after the credits roll. Just... yeah. Truly incredible filmmaking. Pulp Fiction... Tarantino... man, where do you even start with that one? It’s just... it’s something else. I was thinking about it the other day while sitting in a diner outside of Chicago, just staring at the grease on the plate and wondering how he even puts a script together like that. It’s all disjointed, right? Like pieces of a broken mirror, but somehow when you look at them all together, the picture actually makes sense. Most movies try to hold your hand through the plot, but this just throws you into the deep end of the pool without telling you if there's water in it... The dialogue is what gets me, though. It isn't just "movie talk." It feels like those weird, hyper-specific conversations you overhear in a dive bar in Brooklyn at 2 AM. People talking about cheeseburgers or foot massages instead of, you know, the actual crime they're about to commit. It makes it feel so incredibly human... even when everything is exploding around them. It’s got that grit, that raw energy that you just don't see much anymore. It stays with you... long after the credits roll... Billy Wilder... man, he just knew how to handle rhythm. *Some Like It Hot* is one of those movies that feels like it’s moving at a hundred miles an hour, yet somehow stays perfectly poised. It’s got that frantic, breathless energy, you know? But underneath all the laughs and the ridiculous disguises, there's this genuine heart to it... it's about survival, mostly. Just trying to make it through a messy situation without losing yourself. The timing in this film is just... impeccable. Every line hits exactly when it needs to. It’s funny how some comedies age like fine wine while others just feel dated and clunky, but this one? It still feels fresh. It feels alive. I was thinking about it earlier while watching some old noir films... how Wilder could pivot from slapstick to something almost poignant in a heartbeat. Truly a master at work... Treasure of the Sierra Madre... Huston... man, what a film. It’s one of those heavy hitters that just stays with you long after the credits roll. You watch Bogart and that whole crew out there in the desert, chasing this dream of gold, and you realize it isn't really about the money at all... it's about how greed just eats a person from the inside out. It’s brutal, honestly. The way the landscape looks—so vast and unforgiving—it almost feels like a character itself, pushing them toward that breaking point. I was thinking about it earlier, how much tension can be packed into a single frame when you have people you can't quite trust... it's masterclass stuff. Just pure, gritty filmmaking.
This movie is going to be garbage. Pure Hollywood trash. I caught a few clips and honestly, there’s no debate here—it looks terrible. Just really, really bad. I actually grew up loving the Garfield cartoon, so it kind of hurts to say, but... I'm not even surprised. And hey, Jennifer Love Hewitt is in it? That pretty much tells you everything you need to know. I’m already seeing the ads popping up on local networks—you know the type, "See it in theaters today, catch it on basic cable tomorrow." It feels like the kind of low-budget flick they'd air on a channel like ABC or something just to fill space. Maybe if Hillary Clinton introduces it, it'll feel complete. Just to really lean into the whole ridiculous vibe.